Knightly News

“I had been skeptical of the future, but now I am firmly convinced we’re going to be just fine, thanks to my fellow Boys Nation Senators.” Quentin Messer, Class of 2022

When Episcopal’s Quentin Messer found out that he would be one of two students to represent the state of Louisiana at Boys Nation in Washington, D.C., he was ecstatic. “Just being selected was an extreme honor, and I felt the heavy weight of representing not only our state but school, family, and state programs well on the national stage at such a prestigious program,” he says. Quentin was selected to represent Louisiana after participating in Boys State along with Episcopal’s Davis Eglin. Fellow Episcopal senior Soledad Robins also represented Louisiana at the Girls Nation event that was also held in the nation’s capital.  Like Quentin, Soledad was selected after participating in Girls State along with Episcopal’s Lucy Pelegrin.

This year’s Boys Nation marked the 75th anniversary of the gathering that brings together two representatives from each of the 49 Boys State programs. The event is hosted by the American Legion to educate participants on the structure and function of the federal government. While Quentin certainly learned about the role of government through debates over mock legislation, speeches and elections, something much more personal resonated with him. “Out of the laundry list of takeaways I have from that experience, the one that kept recurring was: perspective,” he says. The delegates visited the National Mall and the surrounding monuments and memorials. At the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, they were struck by the number of names. “I gained greater perspective and even more appreciation of the sacrifices of those who came before and paved the way for where I stand today,” says Quentin. “Regardless of creed or belief at that moment, all 100 senators realized it is greater than us all and these little trifles that stifle society today are meaningless.”

While the event featured poignant moments like visiting the memorials, there were also lighter moments, like group meals and karaoke, where Quentin had the opportunity to gain perspective on people from faraway places. “I had never met someone from the Dakotas or Vermont, and we bonded over cultural differences like how drastically our respective states respond to snow,” he says. The camaraderie the students developed helped them share their experiences and cultivate friendships, which ultimately made discourse easier. “With our new perspectives, we were able to have civil debates and have no ill will afterward,” says Quentin. “We were able to acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses and step back when necessary and listen.”

Quentin has returned to Episcopal with a new sense of self after his time in Washington. “Boys Nation made me look inward at how I viewed myself, the world, and leadership,” he says. “I frequently found myself in awe of some of the other guys’ political awareness but realized I have my strengths. I learned that I could write speeches and am an effective communicator with words.” Quentin says he was even selected to be the keynote speaker for his party’s presidential candidate, and he was surprised to discover that he was comfortable speaking in front of the group.

Quentin urges any of his classmates who are interested in the Boys Nation experience to speak with him. He is happy to share more about the program and the new perspective he gained. “The motto for Boys Nation was a week that shapes a lifetime, and it truly was,” he says.

Join us in congratulating all of the Episcopal Boys/Girls State and Nation delegates!

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